Monday, March 20, 2017

Christian Lacroix created over 200 dazzling crystal-embellished costumes for the spectacular new ballet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream by George Balanchine, at the Opéra de Paris in collaboration with Swarovski.

Having first collaborated with Christian Lacroix in 2011 to create costumes for the Opéra de Paris ballet La Source, Swarovski has reunited with the designer and the famed French cultural institution to create the sparkling costumes for George Balanchine’s reimagining of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night's Dream.

It took 10,000 hours and a team of 70 people to create Lacroix’s 210 dazzling costumes, which shine with nearly 1 million Swarovski stones.

All tutus and lace bustier were hand-embroidered, by the gifted artisans of the Palais Garnier’s historic Couture ateliers, and embellished with colorful Swarovski sew-on crystals, beads and pearls, requiring over 400 meters of tulle.

An additional 90 hair ornaments, tiaras and crowns were created for the occasion and embellished with crystal fancy stones.

Christian Lacroix commented: “The costumes, tiaras and crowns, embellished with fancy stones and sprinkled with crystal have been made possible thanks to the traditional yet very creative work of the Opéra de Paris’s Ateliers and the support of Swarovski.”

Numerous choreographers have been inspired by the dramatic works of Shakespeare for their ballets, including George Balanchine, who created his version of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream for the New York City Ballet in 1962. Now, this new production, dazzling with Lacroix’s magnificent costumes, enters the repertory of the Opéra de Paris.

There will be twelve performances of A Midsummer Night’s Dream from March 9 to March 29 at the Opéra Bastille in Paris.